Red Zone

by Sherri Hayes

  “Gage?” Megan asked, getting back on the phone.

  “Yeah?”

  “Take care of my sister, okay?”

  “I will.” Gage only hoped it was a promise he would be given the opportunity to keep.

  Chapter 33

  Rebecca’s eyes were heavy, as if something was weighing them down. She could hear beeping in the background, and there was a smell that she couldn’t quite place. Her arm ached as if someone had punched her. She groaned.

  “Becca? Becca, are you awake?”

  Megan?

  She tried to open her eyes again. It took all her concentration, but eventually she was able to open them enough to see her sister leaning over her. Megan’s face was etched with worry. It didn’t take long for even Rebecca’s muddled mind to put two and two together. She’d been injured and must be in a hospital.

  She tried to speak, but her throat felt like she’d gone without water for days. Maybe she had, since she had no idea how long she’d been lying there.

  “What . . .?” She cleared her throat. “What . . . happened?”

  “You were shot. Do you remember?” Megan’s hand gripped Rebecca’s.

  She searched her brain, trying to recall what had transpired. The details were a little fuzzy, but she remembered.

  Gage. He’d been the last thing she’d seen as unconsciousness claimed her. Where was he? She attempted to turn her head, but couldn’t see him.

  “Gage?”

  Megan frowned.

  “He had to fly back to Nashville this morning.”

  Disappointment filled her. He wasn’t here. He’d left.

  “He didn’t want to leave. I pretty much had to kick him out,” Megan said.

  “Why . . . would you . . . do that?” Her voice sounded raspy. “Can . . . I have . . . some water?”

  “Oh,” Megan said, reaching for a pitcher sitting on one of those rolling carts next to the bed. “Sorry. The nurse said you’d probably be really thirsty when you woke up. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Her sister held a straw to her lips, and she took a sip. The cool liquid felt good as it went down. After a few short pulls on the straw, Rebecca was tired. She fell back against the pillow.

  “Why did you make Gage leave?” Her voice still didn’t sound right, but it was better.

  Megan pulled a chair up beside the bed and sat down. She tucked her legs underneath her and folded her arms, just like she’d done when she’d been little.

  “It’s Wednesday.”

  Wednesday? But . . . it had been Monday. She’d been out for two days?

  Her sister must have read the confusion on her face. “You lost a lot of blood and went into shock, so they had to give you a transfusion. They sedated you for twenty-four hours so your body could heal.”

  “Oh.” The reality of how badly she’d been hurt hit her full force.

  “His coach had already called several times, and yesterday he told him that if he wasn’t there for practice on Thursday they were going to fine him some insane amount of money. I couldn’t let him do that. The doctors said you were out of the woods. It was just a matter of you waking up. I told him I’d keep him updated and call him when you woke up so he could talk to you. Do you think you’re up for it?”

  He hadn’t wanted to leave.

  The disappointment ebbed and was replaced by an eagerness to hear his voice again.

  “Yes. Please.”

  Megan smiled and reached for the phone. She’d just picked up the receiver when the nurse walked into the room.

  “I see you’re awake. It’s good to have you back with us,” she said, walking over to the bed and reaching for Rebecca’s wrist to take her pulse. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tired.”

  “That’s to be expected. Any pain?”

  “My arm is a little sore, but nothing I can’t handle.”

  The nurse gave her a knowing look. “I’ll up the pain medication a little. You need to get your rest, and if you’re hurting, that’s going to be difficult.”

  “I don’t want to go back to sleep yet.”

  The nurse ignored her and continued to do whatever it was she was doing. “The sooner you get better, the sooner you get to leave.” The nurse picked up her chart and made some notes before strolling back to the door. “I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake.”

  As soon as the nurse left, Rebecca turned back to her sister. “Gage?”

  Megan smiled, but instead of reaching for the phone, she picked up the cup of water again and held the straw to Rebecca’s mouth. “Drink.”

  Rebecca frowned but obeyed.

  After setting the cup back down on the tray, Megan reached for the phone. “Just so you know . . . I want an invite to your wedding.”

  “What? I—”

  Rebecca didn’t get to finish her sentence because Megan pressed the phone up to her ear. She glared at her sister, who responded with an innocent expression. Rebecca rolled her eyes.

  “How is she?” Gage’s agitated voice came through the phone.

  “It’s me. I’m fine,” Rebecca said.

  “Rebecca. You’re awake, beautiful.”

  “Yeah. I just woke up.”

  “I’m sorry I had to leave. I didn’t want to. I—”

  “I know. Megan told me.”

  He sighed. “How are you feeling? Are you hurting?”

  “Not much.”

  He was silent for a long moment. “I wish I were there.”

  “I wish you were, too,” she whispered.

  “Have they said when you’ll get to come home?”

  “No.” She yawned, suddenly tired. How was that possible? She didn’t want to hang up. Didn’t want to let go of the feeble connection she had to him. “Haven’t seen the doctor yet.”

  “You’re tired.”

  “I’m all right.” She tried to reassure him.

  “You need your rest.”

  “Don’t hang up.” She knew she sounded desperate and whiny, but she didn’t care.

  “Okay. I’ll stay on the line until you go to sleep. How about that?”

  “Thank you.”

  “Anything thing for you, beautiful.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

  She sighed.

  “Now, close your eyes and rest. I’m right here.”

  The next few days were a challenge. Rebecca wasn’t used to being confined to a bed or not having use of her arm. She was up and walking as soon and as often as they would allow her.

  Two local agents from the Los Angeles field office stopped by on Wednesday night to get her statement. Even though she wasn’t on active duty, she was still an agent who had been involved in a shooting. It was from them that she learned Maxwell hadn’t survived. Her bullet had punctured his neck, a little higher than she had aimed, but effective nonetheless. He’d bled out before they’d loaded him onto the gurney.

  The local agents had already spoken with Hansen. While she was stuck in the hospital recovering, he was busy wrapping up the loose ends in Nashville. All the local agents needed was her side of what had happened with Maxwell on the day of the shooting. Recounting the story, she realized she hadn’t given Maxwell enough credit. She hadn’t seen him as a real physical threat, and he’d proven her wrong.

  On Thursday morning she spoke to Hansen. He and some agents from the Knoxville office had combed through Maxwell’s apartment. They found journals dating back fifteen years and covering each and every one of his clients. The journals went a long way to explaining the how and why.

  Gage hadn’t been the first client Maxwell had stalked, but he’d been the most high profile. Maxwell had logged who they dated, where they went, and any other special details about them. It was rather frightening. He seemed obsessed with controlling their lives, convinced it would boost their careers. Anything he deemed detrimental to that had to be taken care of, and in whatever fashion he deemed necessary.

  There were records of Maxwell sending letters to other clients, much like
he had with Gage. The difference being that when those clients had received the letters, they’d curbed whatever undesirable activity Maxwell had pointed out. Gage hadn’t conformed, and Maxwell had become frustrated.

  There was mention of the explosives the security guard had found on Gage’s SUV. The bomb had been meant to scare off the woman he’d been with the previous night, but the explosives hadn’t gone off at the right time. The shooting outside the bar in Nashville had been yet another scare tactic, meant to send Rebecca fleeing in the opposite direction. Her showing up in LA must have been the last straw in Maxwell’s view, and he’d decided to handle things in a more permanent way.

  When she shared that bit of information with Gage during one of their Skype conversations, he was livid. She honestly believed that if Maxwell weren’t already dead, Gage would have tried to kill him. As it was, she spent almost an hour calming him down. It was only when he noticed through the webcam her shifting in pain that his tone changed from angry to concerned.

  On Friday, she met with her surgeon. He said everything appeared to be healing nicely and gave her the okay to leave the hospital. Her arm remained in a sling that didn’t allow much movement, but at least she would have a little more freedom to come and go when and where she wanted. He also informed her that she wouldn’t be able to fly home for at least another week, until after her sutures were removed.

  Megan had called Gage when the doctor arrived in her room, just as she had been doing for the last two days. When he heard the doctor’s pronouncement, he refused to stay silent.

  Rebecca knew Gage was stubborn. She’d seen it firsthand in his pursuit of her. He bombarded the doctor with questions, trying to find a way to get her back to Tennessee earlier than the additional week the man was insisting upon. The doctor refused to budge, however, citing her safety. Apparently, cabin pressure on an airplane and surgery didn’t mix well.

  The doctor said his good-byes, promising to get her discharge papers going. He gave her the phone number to his office, telling her to call and set up an appointment for the following week to have her sutures removed. She wasn’t happy about having to stay, but at least it was only another week. The next Friday, she could fly back home.

  Gage stood inside the small building next to the tarmac the following Friday afternoon. Rebecca had been to see her surgeon the previous day. He’d removed her stitches and given her the okay to fly home. It was a good thing, too. He’d been distracted ever since he’d been forced to return home without her. It was pure luck they’d won last week’s game. If not for their defense, they wouldn’t have.

  That week in practice, he’d been no better. He wanted Rebecca home, and finally, he was getting his wish. He had arranged with Tim to use his private plane. Gage would have loved to fly out there to bring her back, but it hadn’t been possible. He was already in hot water with his coach. Rebecca was always at the forefront of his mind. She overrode practice, his team, and even the paparazzi who had taken to following him and camping outside his house. He’d traded one stalker for a dozen.

  A small plane landed on the runway and began taxiing toward the small hangar.

  “Sir? As soon as the plane stops, you can go out on the tarmac to meet them.” The airline attendant explained.

  “Thanks.” Gage smiled. He waited until the plane came to a full stop and then picked up the bouquet of flowers he’d brought with him before walking outside.

  The cold winter wind stung his cheeks. Thank goodness for the sun—that made it tolerable. It was hard to believe Christmas was only two weeks away. It felt as if the last month had gone by so fast.

  One of the ground crew pushed a small stairway up to the plane. A few moments later, the door opened. Gage held his breath, not able to contain his excitement to see her again.

  Megan appeared first. She saw him and smiled. Halfway down the stairs, she turned to look back inside the plane, tilting her head in his direction. She laughed, shook her head, and practically skipped the rest of the way down.

  “Hey, Gage.”

  “Hey.” He spared Megan a brief glance, and then looked back up at the entrance to the plane.

  Seconds later, Rebecca took a tentative step out of the opening. All thought about the cold left him the moment he saw her. She was paler than normal, and her left arm was tucked close to her chest instead of inside the arm of the thin coat she was wearing. He smiled and walked toward her, closing the distance.

  Carefully, she made her way down the stairs. She took that final step onto the ground, and he wrapped his arms around her. “Welcome home, beautiful.”

  She sank into him, exhaling. Her right arm circled his waist, pulling him closer. “Hi.”

  He turned his head and found her lips with his own. The kiss was tempered by their environment and her injury, but it was sweet all the same.

  “I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too,” she said, gazing up at him. She looked tired.

  “Let’s get you home.” He reluctantly stepped away from her. Handing her the flowers, he went to get the luggage.

  When they arrived home, Gage told Megan to make herself at home, and then helped Rebecca up to bed.

  “I can do it myself, you know,” she said when he began helping her undress. “I’m not helpless.”

  He smiled. “Yes, but this way is a lot more fun.”

  She laughed. “You never change, do you?”

  “Nope.”

  He stopped undressing her and met her gaze, all levity gone.

  “I hope you can handle that. Not just now. I mean . . .”

  He swallowed. Why was this so difficult?

  “Rebecca, this week has been . . .” He stopped and started over. “Nearly losing you—for a second time—made me realize some things. I don’t like being apart from you, for one. I’m not sure how we’ll fix that completely given both of our jobs, but I do know that I want us to spend as much time together as possible.”

  “Gage, I—”

  “Let me finish, please.”

  He paused, taking her good hand and lacing their fingers together.

  “I love you, and I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. I don’t care if that means following each other around the country. I’m willing, if you are.”

  Rebecca was silent, her eyes brimming with tears.

  “Say something,” he pleaded.

  “I love you, too.”

  He smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  Gage cupped her face gently with his right hand, caressing it softly as he brought their mouths together again. “Marry me,” he whispered against her lips.

  She froze, and he pulled back. His hands never left her, but he couldn’t hide the hurt on his face.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She glanced down, then back up at him. The look in her eyes told him she was afraid. He couldn’t understand why, though.

  “I need to tell you something.”

  “Okay,” he said, still not able to stop touching her.

  “Sunday night we . . .” She took a deep breath, and he saw her wince. “We didn’t use a condom.”

  “I know,” he said. “They asked me at the hospital if you could be pregnant. That’s when I realized. I’m sorry.”

  She shook her head. “It’s not all your fault. I was there, too. I should have said something. Gage . . . I had the doctor do a blood test while I was there yesterday. I know it’s early, but I wanted to check anyway. I needed to know.”

  He nodded.

  “It was positive.”

  A shot of fear pulsed through him, followed by an image of a little girl with Rebecca’s hair and eyes. He was going to be a dad. Gage smiled, but his expression faltered when he realized she was still nervous.

  He took her face in between both his hands. “I know it probably isn’t ideal, but I want you forever, Rebecca. I want a home with you, kids, and everything else that comes with it.”

  “You still want to marry me?” Her voice was f
ull of uncertainty.

  “Is that what has you worried? Did you think I’d be upset?”

  “I didn’t know.”

  “I’m not upset.” He smiled, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “So what do you say? Do you think you can put up with me for the rest of your life?”

  Rebecca laughed. “Yeah. I think I can.”

  Epilogue

  Rebecca stood in front of a floor-length mirror nervously biting the inside of her cheek. The white dress she was wearing was simple, but elegant. It could have easily passed for a semi-formal evening gown. She’d seen a similar one in red worn by one of the player’s wives at the team Christmas dinner Gage had taken her to in December. The dress she wore tonight, however, wasn’t an evening gown meant for a night out on the town. It was her wedding dress.

  She pressed her palms against her still flat stomach, thinking of the baby growing inside. Gage wanted to get married as soon as possible before the baby was born. Maybe it was vain of her, but she hadn’t wanted to walk down the aisle once she started showing. That, along with Gage’s game and practice schedule, and Chris and Elizabeth’s upcoming wedding in March, left very little time for them to work with.

  It took some organizing, and a bit of miracle working, but they’d managed to get everyone to Las Vegas on Valentine’s weekend. Rebecca glanced down at the new ring on her left hand. It was a simple platinum band to match the engagement ring Gage had given her on Christmas Eve.

  Reaching behind her, she slid the zipper down, and removed her wedding dress before hanging it behind her on a hanger. Her hair had been pinned back from her face for the wedding, but she knew she wanted it loose tonight. Gage loved to run his fingers through her hair when they made love.

  She felt her body warm at the thought of tonight. It had been Wednesday, three days, since they’d been together. They’d left early Thursday morning for his parent’s house, and given her bouts of morning sickness, sex in the morning was usually off the menu. That night, they’d been peppered with questions from his family and Megan. They’d only told them the previous weekend at Sunday dinner they were not only getting married, but going to have a baby as well. Since then, they’d been flooded with questions and ideas from what they wanted as wedding gifts to starting work on the baby’s room.